


Can You Stay?

by afteriwake



Series: In So Few Words [266]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Comforting Irene Adler, Crying Molly Hooper, Dead Sherlock Holmes, F/F, Irene Adler (Sherlock Holmes)-centric, Irene Adler Loves Molly Hooper, Lung Cancer, Mentions of Cancer, POV Irene Adler, Past Irene Adler/Sherlock Holmes, Past Sherlock Holmes/Molly Hooper, Pre-Irene Adler/Molly Hooper, Pre-Relationship, Resting Molly Hooper, Sherlock's Funeral, Wakes & Funerals, running out of time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:01:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24291727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: Irene hopes Molly will ask her to stay in this new Sherlock-less future.
Relationships: Irene Adler/Molly Hooper
Series: In So Few Words [266]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/709206
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	Can You Stay?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dreamin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamin/gifts), [theconsultingstrangevidder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/theconsultingstrangevidder/gifts).



> Sorry this is so angsty! This is an answer to a Fictober 2019 prompt from **Dreamin** that I just got around to answering because **theconsultingstrangevidder** picked it as a blind prompt. It was " _8\. 'Can you stay?' Mollrene_ "

She never thought she’d go to Molly Hooper for comfort. In her time surveilling Sherlock Holmes and his movement, she knew that Molly was an important part of his group, that she was his rock. And now that he was gone from both of their lives, maybe she would be her rock, too. Or at least she hoped.

The funeral had been that afternoon. Sherlock Holmes was truly dead this time, the victim of fast-spreading cancer from the cigarette smoking he had done most of his life. Even though he’d quit not that long after he’d met her and saved her in Karachi (an experience John had said was excruciating when he’d delivered his eulogy), it hadn’t been enough. It was a blow to everyone; he’d been fine and then six months later the cancer had spread and…

Molly had found her number on Sherlock’s phone and called early on. The two women rarely left his side when they could, as Sherlock refused all treatment that would have him be less than perfect, less than him. The three of them and John and Mary worked on cases together, old cases Sherlock had filed as not being worth a read, new cases from the Yard, a few that had intrigued Sherlock from the distant past...they knew they were racing against a clock and he wanted to beat it.

Sadly, there were still stacks of cases left and no Sherlock Holmes to solve them.

It had never been awkward between herself and Molly; they both knew Sherlock loved them in his own ways and that was enough. They had grown close and so now Irene hoped that Molly would be able to help her and she, in turn, could return the favor.

Molly held the wake at Baker Street, had stayed up all night cooking and baking, and now she was away from everyone. Irene had a good idea where, and she made her way to Sherlock’s bedroom. The medical equipment from his last days had been cleared out and it looked much the same way it had when she snuck in after the incident with the CIA.

Molly was lying in the bed, clutching a pillow, seemingly asleep. There were wet spots on the pillow and Irene sat by her legs, rubbing Molly’s back. Her breathing evened out, showing she hadn’t been asleep just yet, but as Irene got up she heard Molly murmur “Can you stay?” and she sat back down. Yes, she could stay.

Hopefully forever.

Because she hadn’t realized it until quite recently, but she had fallen in love with soft, strong Molly just as much as she had fallen in love with the dashing and enigmatic Sherlock. And she wanted to stay by her side as long as possible, whatever their new Sherlock-less future held.


End file.
